Visiting the Vatican

Seeing the Sistine Chapel is one of the highlights of most trips to Rome, and ours was no exception.

Victoria had been to the Vatican before, and was put off by the number of people crammed into the chapel trying to get a look at one of Michelangelo’s most famous works. We therefore decided to take an early morning tour, bypassing most of the crowds, and getting a detailed account of the masterpieces within.

The Vatican is a bit of a sensory overload when it comes to artwork. Everywhere you look there’s paintings by famous renaissance artists, beautiful sculptures, and over-the-top ornamentation. We managed to get a uncommon look at the Sistine Chapel – bright lights were on illuminating the frescoes, which according to our guide rarely happens. Unfortunately the Vatican forbids photography in the Sistine Chapel and violators are tossed out, so we weren’t able to capture any of it. The rest of the Vatican however, was fair game.

One of the first hallways we walked down after entering

Just one of the hallways of rooms filled with amazing artwork, and everyone who came to see it